The Iowa Senate passed a voter ID bill yesterday on a party line vote. It would require Iowa voters would need to provide government-issued identification at the polls.
House File 516 was initiated by Secretary of State Paul Pate.
Democrats called the legislation a "voter suppression bill" would keep minorities, older people and people with disabilities away from the polls.
Story County Democratic Senator David Quirmbach (cornbach) said the bill would reduce people’s right to vote.
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“It erects unnecessary obstacles. There is no voter fraud of any significance in this state. We all know that. The secretary of state knows that. We all know why we’re doing this will. Shame on those who support it.”
Northwest Iowa Independent Senator David Johnson of Osceola agreed saying the bill was a solution looking for a problem.
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“Obviously I rise in opposition to this bill, it’s unecessary like so much of the business that’s being conducted here, not in the people’s business, but the special interest.”
However, Republicans pointed to a small number of fraudulent votes in the last general election and said that the voters would benefit from updated voter identification technology.
The bill returns to the House because it was amended by the Senate.
